This invention relates to stationery and more particularly to stationery having a snap-open envelope a portion of which provides a reusable envelope.
Envelopes are commonly used one time and discarded. For example, in billing and other business mail, it is common practice to provide a separate, self-addressed return envelope inside the billing envelope. The use of two separate envelopes compared to a reusable or two-way envelope, of course, results in increased manufacturing costs and handling. Also since additional material is required, there is an increase in waste, and in waste handling costs, as well as natural resources, and these are undesirable from an ecological point of view.
Envelopes that can be snapped open are desirable because of the ease with which they are opened. In the case of advertising material, for example, such easy opening envelopes encourage the receiver to open them.
Snap-open reusable envelopes have been proposed but have had certain drawbacks. For example, some were provided with address windows which required the proper orientation of the return message in the return envelope in order that the proper address appear in the window for return mailing. Improper orientation could result in unmailable matter. The window type of envelope also limited the types of contents that could be used. Also, additional enclosures, such as a remittance, could cover the address. Where confidential information is used there is a chance that it could be seen through the window. Also, window envelopes are generally limited to industrial use, and require that the address be printed on the insert instead of directly on the envelope. It has also been proposed to use, instead of a window, a sticker for attachment over the original address, however, this results in increased manufacturing costs and handling.
Some snap-open envelopes provided a reusable envelope having an end closure flap that was a portion of the front panel of the original envelope. With such a construction, mailing instructions could not be placed on the inside of the end closure flap that would be seen by the receiver upon opening if the envelope was opened while looking at the front face thereof. Also, the reusable envelope portion was generally greatly reduced in size from the original envelope since it was usually desired to completely remove the original mailing address. These were of the address window type.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,558,041, issued to the present applicant discloses a snap-open envelope but does not provide an envelope having a reusable envelope portion. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,062,431 and 3,747,837 relate to envelopes that can be snapped open or separated on perforation lines and which provide a portion for use as an envelope but these are of the address window type. U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,360 has an envelope with a portion for reuse but is also of the address window type.